About Me

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

In the next couple of days, I'll be posting about my recent seven course wine dinner. It happens once a year when my family can gather themselves here in the same city. Lots of fun. Since it was already pushing 100 degrees in Dallas when we did it, there are some nice summery light dishes on there.

In that vein, this dish just screams summer. I'll go ahead and post it now so you can dash out and get those luscious peaches now showing up at produce stands and farmers markets.

Cook peppercorns in a small skillet over medium heat 6 minutes or until fragrant and toasted. Cool. Place peppercorns in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal. Crush peppercorns with a meat mallet or rolling pin; set aside.

Spoon about 2 teaspoons crèmefraîche into the center of each peach half; drizzle about 1 teaspoon vinegar mixture over each serving. Sprinkle each serving with about 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle evenly with salt.

Monday, June 29, 2009

I'd been eyeing the green tomatoes at the farmers market for a couple of weeks when I ran across this recipe in my "summer" file. I'd forgotten how delicious a fried green tomato can be. I fry yellow squash in a similar fashion every other week or so, but green tomatoes are even firmer and have a great sweet tanginess.

Preheat oven to 200°. Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle both sides of tomatoes evenly with salt and pepper.

Pour buttermilk or milk into a shallow dish or pie plate. Stir together cornmeal and Creole seasoning in another shallow dish or pie plate.

Dip tomatoes in buttermilk and dredge in cornmeal mixture.

Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches in a large cast-iron skillet; heat over medium heat to 350°. Fry tomatoes, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Transfer to a wire rack; keep warm in a 200° oven until ready to serve. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve with Bread-and-Butter Pickle Rémoulade.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Mouth-numbing. Not always a great term to hear. It makes me think of trips to the dentist and the rubber lips and embarassing drooling that follows.

In this case, however, it's music to my ears. My trip to the Asian market yielded me a package of Sichuan peppercorns, among other treasures, so I was excited to find this recipe from Food and Wine in my files.

After extensive research (i.e. a trip to Wikipedia via Google), the numbness has been explained. The pepper is not related to black pepper and not really "hot," but creates "a tingly numbness in the mouth (caused by its 3% of hydroxy-alpha-sanshool)." OK...lesson over. Go find some and fix this fantastic recipe.

In a small skillet, toast the peppercorns over moderate heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds; let cool. Transfer the peppercorns to a mortar or spice grinder and grind to a powder. Put the shrimp in a bowl, toss with 1 teaspoon of the ground peppercorns and season with salt.

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the shrimp and stir-fry over moderate heat until almost cooked through, 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet. Add the chopped scallions, garlic, jalapeños and chile and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the scallions and garlic are softened, 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of ground peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the shrimp and lime juice and stir until the shrimp are just cooked through, 1 minute. Season with salt and transfer to a bowl. Garnish with the sliced scallion, drizzle with the chile oil and serve.

Shake ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Ginger Juice

To make ginger juice, run enough fresh, unpeeled, washed ginger through a juicer for 6 ounces of juice (about 1 1/2 pounds of ginger). Combine juice with 1 cup sugar in a sealed glass jar and shake. Will keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Every now and then, I discover another ingredient that becomes a pantry staple. It was chipotles in adobo sauce a year ago--great to have in the fridge to add a touch of heat to salad dressings, sauces or just to stir into sour cream for a quick dip. More recently, it's been soba noodles. I fix them as a side dish "starch" far more often than pasta or rice. (With a lower glycemis index, they fit into my attempt to eat more "good carbs."

So here's the latest: Greek yogurt. It's low-fat, slightly thicker than regular yogurt and I've found lots of recipes for it.

Here's one. The salmon is great chilled and then "smashed" onto a piece of whole-wheat toast for breakfast.Roasted Salmon with Herbed Greek YogurtFrom Martha Stewart's Everyday Food.Serves 8.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

I was lucky enough recently to win a mojito party from Bacardi. In a pretty original marketing ploy, they send a couple of folks out to your place with all the fixins' (rum included) so that they can teach you and your guests how to make a mojito...or eight.

Well, I felt obligated to provide some nibbles....and wanted to keep with the Cuban theme. So I put out some salsas and black bean dip purchased from a couple of local restaurants alongside tortilla chip and plantain chips. (Lord, I LOVE ethnic grocery stores.) Also some shrimp with a spicy orange rum dipping sauce I whipped up.

But the center of attention was make-your-own pulled pork mini-sandwiches. Very Cuban. I buy a pork butt or shoulder and slow roast it (technique to be posted soon). Then shred it and serve it on a big platter with little soft rolls next to it. And to finish things off, a bowl of this tasty tangy sauce. (Yes, you can buy it bottled, but it's so easy you might as well make it from scratch.)

Thursday, June 18, 2009

When I can't think of something else to cook for dinner, but I want something special, I will sometimes turn to mussels. I can stop at the seafood counter on the way home and buy a pound or two. Cooked with aromatics and some veggies and with a piece of crusty bread on the side, they make a perfectly satisfying meal.

Here's a simple recipe that has served as the inspiration for many a mussels meal. In the next week or two, I will post a few variations on it. You won't need to use a recipe ever again.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

I cannot believe I haven't posted this recipe before. It is a family tradition, and no matter what other recipe for meat loaf I try, I come back to this one. It's rich and wonderful, but also complex enough that it deserves a good-quality bottle of wine. I'm thinking about pairing it with a wonderful (expensive) bottle of Patz & Hall PinotNoir we brought back from our last Napa Valley excursion.

Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Add cream and beat until well-combined. Add crumbs to egg mixture. Stir in and let sit until bread becomes good and soft. Add all remaining ingredients except cheese, ketchup and brown sugar and mix well.

Place 1/2 of mixture in loaf pan and flatten until even. Lay slices of cheese on top of meat, avoiding edges of the loaf. Place remaining meat mixture on top of cheese and shape into loaf shape, sealing cheese into middle of loaf.

Bake at 350° for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine ketchup and brown sugar until brown sugar is dissolved and well-mixed. Remove meat loaf from oven and pour sauce over top. Bake for another 20-30 minutes or until done.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

If I've had a light lunch, I can be starving before I ever start dinner. If I'm lucky and the fridge is stocked (or I've stopped by Central Market on the way home), I can pull out a half-dozen chilled peel-and-eat shrimp and mix up a small ramekin of this sauce. (I just drastically reduce the recipe and guesstimate the ratios.) Delicious. And definitely worth trying on a larger scale for your next party. It would be delicious to nosh on this while you sit by the pool or on the patio.

Monday, June 15, 2009

The other day at lunch, a co-worker told a hilarious story of surviving a boring business dinner her husband hosted by conspiring with the waiter. She had him fill her regular-looking iced tea glass with a potent Long Island Iced Tea. I admire her initiative.

Here's another cocktail she could have used to outwit her tablemates. But no reason to hide this one...make up a pitcher and share!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Our kitchen is a veritable cornucopia these days. My weekly forays to the farmer's market are supplemented by herbs and peppers from our patio garden and treats from a green-thumbed co-worker. It can be overwhelming. And, unfortunately, I have sometimes let some of the bounty spoil by not storing it correctly. Sure a bowl of yellow summer squash looks great on the counter, but I've learned the hard way that that is NOT where they should be kept.

So I was thrilled to find this great list in a recent issue of Cooking Light magazine that tells me exactly what to put where (so to speak...).

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

We love beets here at our house. And I have found a wonderful farming family at our farmer's market that sells them by the bunch. My standard treatment is to roast them and then serve them with a little tangy goat cheese and some toasted pine nuts. So I was intrigued by this recipe. And it's pretty good. But, honestly, I think the blue cheese is a little overwhelming. If I make it again (and I just might), I'd probably go back to goat cheese instead of Roquefort.

But try it and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Arrange half of beets in a single layer in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with half the cheese, black pepper, salt, and sherry vinegar. Repeat procedure with remaining beets, cheese, black pepper, salt, and sherry vinegar. Spread greens evenly on top of beet mixture. Pour half-and-half evenly over greens; top evenly with panko. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until beets are tender.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

I have several mussels recipes on deck for the next couple of weeks. But this one needed to go up now. I fixed it the other night as a special treat with a glass of Champagne as I watched the Tony Awards. I am madly preparing for a multi-course wine dinner for my family in a couple of weeks and this one will make the cut for the first course and a glass of bubbly.

(Note: I only cooked one pound of mussels, so I had plenty of the delicious breadcrumbs leftover. They are going in the freezer to bread a tilapia fillet sometime very soon.)

In a pot, bring the wine to a boil. Add the mussels. Cover and cook over high heat, shaking the pot until the mussels open, 4 minutes. Using a skimmer, transfer the mussels to a rimmed baking sheet and let cool. Pour the mussel cooking liquid into a bowl. Loosen the mussels in their shells and discard the empty half of each shell. Spoon the cooking liquid over the mussels to keep them moist. Cover with plastic wrap.

Put the bread crumbs in a medium bowl. In a small skillet, melt the butter in the oil. Add the garlic, paprika and cayenne and cook over moderate heat until fragrant. Scrape the contents of the skillet over the crumbs. Add the thyme and lemon zest, season with salt and pepper and toss well.

Preheat the broiler. Remove the plastic wrap from the mussels and top them with the bread crumbs. Broil 6 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, rotating the pan as necessary, until the bread crumbs are browned and crisp. Serve right away.

Monday, June 08, 2009

When I had the mega-smoker out for Memorial Day, I planned on doing some extra-special ingredients after the meat came off. I bought some poblano peppers, fresh corn and tomatoes. I was thinking a relish of some kind with the veggies. And this cocktail with the tomatoes.

Well...I never got around to putting those items on. (Grilling the corn and poblanos led to a great "salsa" for grilled chicken a couple of nights later.) But I still want to try this recipe sometime soon. It sounds wonderful.Smoky MaryMakes one cocktail.

Shake all ingredients over cracked ice and strain into an ice-filled collins or cocktail glass.

Smoked Tomato JuiceHalve tomatoes and smoke over indirect heat on a charcoal grill using hickory or mesquite wood chips for 2o minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Transfer to a blender and process, then strain. Four medium tomatoes will yield about 2 cups of juice.

Saturday, June 06, 2009

OK...I'll admit it. I sometimes go to the cafeteria. It's hereditary...many a childhood night was spent at Luby's or Furr's. Especially when we went to Tulsa to visit the grandparents. (Just mention that to my siblings and they'll go into a riff on that salad lady.)

Anyway...there are two desserts I always grab for. (Oh, stop...of course I'm having dessert...the entree was chicken-fried steak or fried fish with lots of tartar sauce after all.) Chocolate icebox pie...you know, the one with the chocolate shavings on top. Or this. Lemon chess pie. Yum.

Rinse the pork tenderloin, pat dry and place in a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish and set aside.

Whisk together the cherries, wine, vinegar, juice, garlic, shallots and rosemary in a bowl. Pour this marinade over the pork; cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight, turning the pork several times.

Heat the olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Remove the pork from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and place the pork in the heated skillet. Brown the pork on all sides, about 5 to 6 minute total.

Pour the reserved marinade over the pork and place the skillet in the oven. Roast, basting several times, about 20 to 25 minutes until a meat thermometer registers 150-155°. The meat will be a light pink color.

Remove pork from the baking dish and cover loosely with foil. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper. Slice into 1/4 inch pieces and spoon the pan juices over the pork. Serve immediately.

Food/Wine Pairing: An aromatic dish with cherries? To me, that screams out for a light PinotNoir. Go for it.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

For my money, this recipe from Southern Living is the best homemade barbecue sauce I've tasted in a long while. But for the Memoral Day Meatfest 2009 (brisket, ribs, pork, chicken and all the trimmings), I tried this one also. It's from Martha's magazine. It was tasty, but a little too "tomato-y" for my Texas tastebuds. As one of my guests said, "It's a lot like marinara sauce."

Still worth a try though. Maybe you can doctor it up some. Share your alterations with the rest of us in the comments section below.

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and saute until translucent and tender, about 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the chili powder, coriander, cumin, molasses, and sugar. Stir and simmer for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cider vinegar, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and dark, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Reduce heat to low if sauce is simmering too quickly.

Pureé sauce in a blender. Add remaining 4 teaspoons salt, remaining teaspoon pepper, the white vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce, and puree. With blender running, carefully add water in a slow, steady stream. Blend until mixture is smooth and emulsified, adding more water if needed. Let cool, and refrigerate.